Lamp socket



Feb. 6, 1923.

W. L. BROOKS LAMP SOCKET Filed Oct 27, 1920 Inventor Wallace LBrooks,

b HIS Attorney.

Patented Feb. 6, 1923.

U N l 1,444,454 PATENT @FFHCCE.

WALLACE L. BROOKS, OF SCI-IENECTADY, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

LAMP SOCKET.

Application filed October 27, 1920. Serial No. 420,011.

I '0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, lVALLAcn L. BROOKS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Schenectady, county of Schenectady, State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Lamp Sockets, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to lamp sockets and has for its object to provide an improved structure and arrangement where in in case the lamp is removed from the socket, the terminals in the socket will be automatically connected to each other to maintain the circuit closed, thus adapting the socket for use in a series circuit.

For a consideration of what I believe to be novel and my invention, attention is directed to the accompanying description and the claims appended thereto.

In the drawing, Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a lamp socket embodying my invention; Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the contact arrangement, the shell being removed; and Fig. 3 is a sectional view of the part of the socket shown in Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawing, 5 indicates a shell provided with perforated ears 6 for fastening the socket to a base or support and with slots 7 which form a part of a bayonet joint. A lamp is indicated at 8. and its base is provided with pins 9-which cooperate with slots 7 to fasten the lamp in the socket.

In shell 5 is fixed an insulating member 27 provided with two axially extending holes 10 and 11 which pass entirely through it and a third axially extending hole 12 which passes only part way through it. In hole 10 is a metallic post 13 having a recess 14 in which is located a contact pin 15. In recess 14 beneath pin 15 is a spring 16 which biases pin 15 to the position shown in Fig. 1. the pin being provided with a head 17 which engages an internal flange 18 at the outer end of recess 14 to limit its outward movement. The inner end of pin 15 is provided with a hole in which one end of spring 16 is fastened and in assembling, the pin with the spring attached is inserted into recess 14 after which the upper edge of the recess is turned in to form flange 18. In the lower end of post 13 is a recess 19 adapted to receive the end of a conductor 20, a

transverse screw 21 being provided for fastening it in place. Screw 21 is located in a countersunk opening in the side of insulating member 27," so its head is Well buried in the insulation to prevent contact with shell 5.

In hole 11 is a contact arrangement similar. to that in hole 10 and corresponding reference numerals with the exponent a added are applied to corresponding parts.

Extending transversely across the bottom of hole 12 is a pin 22 which connects with post 13 and in hole 12 is a spring 23, the lower end of which rests on pin 22 and makes electrical contact therewith. The upper end of spring 23 is connected to a metallic bu-tton 24 to the outer surface of which is fixed an insulating pin 25. At 26 is a contact plate fixed to the top of insulating member 27 and provided with openings through which contact pin 15 and insulating pin 25 project.

When no lamp is in the socket, the parts are in the positions shown in Figs. 2 and 3 and a circuit is closed from contact pin 15 to contact pin 15 by way of post 13, pin 22,

spring 23, contact button 24 and metallic plate 26. Under these circumstances the two conductors 20 and 20 are connected to each other. If now a lamp is fixed in the socket in the well understood manner by first forcing it down against contact pins 15 and 15 and then turning it to bring pins9 into the offset portion of the bayonet slots, it will be seen that at the same time contact pins 15 and '15 are forced downward, insulating pin 25 will likewise be forced downward. WVhen insulating pin 25 is forced downward, contact button 24 is moved away from engagement with contact plate 26, thereby opening the circuit just referred to as connecting contact pin 15 to contact pin 15*. The lamp will now burn in the usual manner. In case the lamp should burn out in order to close the circuit again, it is only necessary to remove the lamp from the socket. When this is done, insulating pin 25 will be forced outward by spring 23 and again bring contact button 24 intoengagement with contact plate 26, thus closing the circuiualready referred to.

It will be seen that the above-described arrangement is very simple in structure and can be manufactured at a low cost. Also the arrangement is very compact and is well pins in said 22 is put into place and the pins 15 and 15 and 25 with the springs attached thereto are inserted in position. The assembled structure can then be fixed in shell 5.

In accordance with the provisions of the patent statutes, I have described the principle of operation of my invention,'together with the apparatus which I now consider to represent the best embodiment thereof; but I desire to have it understood that the apparatus shown is only illustrative, and

that the invention may be carried out by other means.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is,-

1. In a socket, the combination of an insulating member having two axially extending holes therein, spring-pressed contact holes, a contact member which is permanently connected electrically to one of said pins and is detachably connected electrically to the other, and an insulating pin parallel to said first-named pins which moves said contact member from engagement with the second-named pin when the pins are depressed.

2. In a socket, the combination of an insulating member having two axially extending holes, posts therein, the lower ends of said posts containing conductor terminals, spring pressed contact pins in the upper ends of said posts, a pair of contact members which when in engagement with each other connect said posts together, and an insulating pin parallel to said first named pins which moves said contact members out of engagement with each other when the pins are depressed.

3. In a socket, the combination of an insulating member having three axially extending holes therein, postsin two of said holes, the lower ends of said posts containing conductor terminals, spring pressed contact pins in the upper ends of said posts, conducting members extending from each of said posts to said third hole, spring pressed means in said third hole connecting said conducting members together, and an insulating pin parallel to said first named pins and adapted to move said spr ng pressed means to open the circuit between said conducting members when ,the pins are depressed.

4:. In a socket, the combination of an insulating member having three axially extending holes therein, posts in two of said holes, the lower ends of said posts containing conductor terminals, spring pressed contact pins in the upper ends of said posts, a conducting pin extending from one of said posts to the bottom of saidthird hole, a conducting mcmberextending from the other of said posts to the upper end of said third hole, spring pressed means in said third hole connecting the conducting pin to said conducting member, and an insulating pin adapted to slide axially for moving said spring-pressed means to disconnect the pin from the conducting member.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this 26th day of October, 1920.

, WALLACE L. BROOKS. 

